[03/13/08 - 03:58 PM]Bravo's "Top Chef: Chicago" Fourth Season Premiere Up 11%, Firing Up More Than Two Million Total ViewersBravo spins the numbers for Wednesday, March 12.

[via press release from Bravo]

BRAVO'S "TOP CHEF: CHICAGO" FOURTH SEASON PREMIERE UP 11%, FIRING UP MORE THAN TWO MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS

BRAVO'S "TOP CHEF: CHICAGO" FOURTH SEASON PREMIERE UP 11%, FIRING UP MORE THAN TWO MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS

NEW YORK � March 13, 2008 � Bravo's Emmy-nominated culinary creative competition series "Top Chef" fired up the competition last night by premiering once again as the No. 1 rated food show on cable across all demographics, according to Nielsen Media Research. With significant growth from its last cycle, the season premiere attracted 1,475,000 adults 18-49 and 2,256,000 total viewers.

Season to season, "Top Chef" premieres have grown, continuing Bravo's hallmark of increasing viewership with each original franchise cycle. Last night's 10 p.m. "Top Chef: Chicago" premiere increased from the third season premiere (6/13/07) by 11 percent in total viewers (2.256 vs. 2.024 million) and by five percent among adults 18-49 (1.475 vs. 1.407 million).

"Top Chef: Chicago" is produced by Magical Elves. Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, who also produce the Emmy-Award nominated "Project Runway," "Step It Up & Dance," and "Top Design" for Bravo, return as executive producers. Shauna Minoprio also serves as executive producer.

Bravo is a program service of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been a NBC Cable Network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information visit www.bravotv.com.